Figure 10.13 – Nunavut’s energy profile #
Key developments for Nunavut:
- The REF scenario projects the doubling of emissions by 2060, entirely due to growth in transport. In fact, as for the Yukon, an overwhelming majority of emissions are produced from the transport sector, with power generation contributing most of the rest.
- Due to the cost of decarbonizing transport, CP30 shows relatively little difference with REF (+27% emissions in 2030 for CP30 vs. 29% for REF), with a difference that increases as technological costs for green technology decrease (+17 % emissions in 2060).
- Decarbonization is difficult to achieve even in NZ scenarios, which do not lead to a reduction in emissions before 2040 (-11%, only for NZ45). Even in 2060, emissions remain above 2016 (by +6% and +10%, respectively) for NZ50 and NZ45. However, the corresponding absolute numbers are small, with net-positive emissions of 0.5 MtCO2e.
- All generation is provided by thermal at present. In CP30, the grid sees hydroelectric generation rapidly replacing thermal and increasing over time with a little wind. In contrast, in net-zero scenarios, no hydroelectricity is used; instead a large volume of wind is coupled with storage to meet power demand. Some decentralized generation remains for remote communities and a small quantity of thermal capacity is retained as backup.
- Forest residues increase the biomass supply primarily after 2030. However, the notable change for this territory is the significant quantity of landfill biogas capture, which overtakes forest residues as the source of bioenergy and accelerates in net-zero scenarios past 2040. While a little over half of this is used for space heating, most goes to BECCS power generation, which helps compensate the remaining emissions in the electricity sector but without reaching negative emissions.